Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1887-02-18
YI,e Fonelnye or lEexieo.
Correspondence Of The Alexandria GAZETTE

head is included here al eating, hash, soup
and coffee houses save the hotels and high
priced restaurants The cheap boarding
and lodging house is unknown here and TO
secnre room or board in private family
is next to impossible. Thus the Fonday
though without lodging IS made one Of the
chief institutions CT the land. The Fonday
gign is often very poetic and picturesque.
Like all placesaof business in Mexico, each
MACE has Q special name, for example we
may go 10 "Hhe Daughter OF Venus for
breakfast or to.the Mother of Mercy" or
the bride Of the Orient" and take dinner,
ana we may take our chocolate in the even
ing at 1.-The Three Emereds," "The Crown
of Gold,n or stop in at Tho Country Girls" ]"
IN addition there are many paintings CD the
signs and door screens, such as waiter girls
with roast turkey, choice fruits and yeBeta-
bles but we never see bill OF fare with
price list, as the prices vary according TO
the person and bis purse. They ask stran-
GERS abont what they think they can get
from them and eli who DO not know the
Urices are most certain to be oVercharged.
This is a special trait in the Mexican char
ecter and reaches every branch OF business,
hence one who is not informed as 10 prices
will Get heeced The interior, contrary 10
the sign, is neither poetical For pleasing to
behold. There are usually chickens
and tame pigeons running at large
under The table and about the room,
and we seldom fail 20 find a
few game roosters, coInmon poodles
and hairless dogs in attendance. The for
mer are growing for all they are worth,
while the latter ere making war among
themselves. ana With the cats under the
table for any crumbs that may fall In con-
nectioD there is often & pet lamb and q bal
tered pig ia the same room. The pigs
presence is regarded as very essential, as he
is :. general depository lor all that is left on
the plates. Yet the list of live stock Would
be incomplete without the ever present par
rot that is perched over the door on the out
SIDE He sits there all day and makes him
self heard regardless Of his Doisy competi-
tors on the inside.
The cooks, as rule, are either full blood
or half breed Indian women, and as yet don't
seem 10 have learned the ait Of cooking, or
the importance OF cleanliness Their long,
coarse, black hair is permitted TO hang
down IN kind Of mustang style about their
neck aDd shoulders, The picture Of which
might be utilized IS q drawing advertise
ment for Ayre's Hair Vigor. These, and
the pretty" waiter girls, are usually bare
.iooted, apG are provided with long apron.
snG general utility cloth. The former is
much the verse for want Of washing and
The latter for wear. Here, as IN the family,
stoves and our kind OF cooking utensils are
unknown. liz place OF them they use the
brasero Ia kiud of torgel ana various sized
earthern jars, and large brass and wooden
spoons.
The bill of fare varies with the time of
day, he purchaser, place and price. In
the morning many places serve bread and
coffee only or entering such place, the
first quesli ion is, Cafe con loche o cafe solo?"
lcofiee wilh miik or alOne.) The former
costs three cents q cup or glass, while the
latter, with q little sugar, one cent, and
with sufficient one and a half cents, after
which all else IS charged for extra.
At noou the question is "Comida Clique
or grande (ittle or big dinner. The former
costs six cents and the latter twelve. The
big dinner consists CT small piece of bread
aud what water one can drink, cup OF
soup, with about one ounce each Of rice,
meat and vegetables with as many pods OF
green pepper as you can eat and table
spoon full of beans 1og q dessert. From this
the reader may imagine what the small
peone will take his ak cent dinner and rise
from fhe table, Of course, with no very op-
pressiye feelings Of 1ullness, but perfectly
satisfied with his lot in life. Those who
wish = cheaper meal are supplied with
cup OF soup, few tortillss (corn cakes,
green pepper and q piece of hogs liver,
light or entrails The latter are much used
by all the lower classes.
The dishes used also vary with the class
and place. Among tho better class plates,
knives and forks are used yet al! classes
use large brass and wooden spoons and
have never sesn 2 spoon used here for su
gar-the fingers being used instead. The low
er class usually use one tortilla for G plate
and another for spoon aud the;r fingers
for knives and forks. IL this case, when they
have finished they just sat The plate and
spoon and all is over. There is economy in
this inasmuch 10 there ere no dishes to buy,
break OF lose time in washing. as to the
supper it has the hygienic qualities of break
fast anG dinner, inasmuch as it is alwsYs
lirht RAMBLER